Schotz v. Samuels

72 F. Supp. 3d 81, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 153815, 2014 WL 5472185
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedOctober 30, 2014
DocketCivil Action No. 2013-1811
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 72 F. Supp. 3d 81 (Schotz v. Samuels) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schotz v. Samuels, 72 F. Supp. 3d 81, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 153815, 2014 WL 5472185 (D.D.C. 2014).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BERYL A. HOWELL, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

This lawsuit, brought pro se by a federal prisoner, arises from the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) response to the plaintiffs request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for “documents within and outside his Inmate Central File.” Compl., Ex. A (FOIA Request) at 1, ECF No. 1. Having released records to the plaintiff, the defendant moves to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or for summary judgment under Rule 56. Def.’s Mot. to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, Mot. for Summ. J., ECF No. 13. The plaintiff has opposed the motion to the extent that BOP limited the search for responsive records to his central file. He also requests “sanctions” on the basis that defendant’s disclosure of responsive records was “a direct consequence” of this litigation. PL’s Request for Sanctions and Opp’n to Def.’s Mot. to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, Mot. for Summ. J., ECF No. 15, at 2.

Since there is no genuine dispute regarding the defendant’s treatment of the released records, and the defendant has demonstrated the adequacy of its search, the Court will grant the defendant’s motion for summary judgment. In addition, the Court will deny the plaintiffs motion for sanctions, construed also as a motion for costs.

I. BACKGROUND

In a prolix request BOP received in January 2012, the plaintiff sought records pertaining to his prison transfers. He requested generally “all ... documents related to ... non-voluntary nearer home transfer consideration, recommendation, and approval within and outside my Inmate Central File.” Decl. of Beth Ochoa, ECF No. 13-3, Attach. 1 (FOIA Request at 2). The plaintiff stated: “Outside sources include, but are not limited to, any/all communications by and between FCC-Tucson Warden Apker, Camp Administrator S.K. Beauchamp, Unit Manager Debra Baker, Case Manager Arturo Moreno, Counselor Robert Wright, Theresa Talplacido, Institutional Legal Counsel, Western Region Staff, DSCC, etc.” Id. BOP distilled from the plaintiffs narrative requests for: (1) a memorandum from FCC Tucson contained in plaintiffs central file regarding his ongoing legal activities, and (2) two categories of documents consisting of transfer records between October 2005 and October 2011, and housing records pertaining to the plaintiffs placement in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) between November 21, 2011 and December 1, 2011. Ochoa Decl. ¶ 4.

After searching the plaintiffs central file, BOP assessed a fee of $27.60 to cover the cost of copying 376 “pages responsive to your request for a copy of your central file.” Id., Attach. 3. The plaintiff paid the fee on March 24, 2012, without revising the *86 characterization of the request as seeking documents from his central file. See id., Att. 4. By letter dated March 27, 2012, BOP acknowledged receipt of the payment and informed the plaintiff that it had located 444 responsive pages and was releasing 366 pages completely and 10 pages with redactions. BOP withheld 68 pages in their entirety, 50 of which were the plaintiffs Presentence Investigation Report (PSR), Statement of Reasons (SOR), and visitor information. BOP invoked FOIA exemptions 2, 7(C) and 7(F), see 5 U.S.C. § 552(b), as the bases for withholding that information. Ochoa Deck, Att. 5.

The plaintiff appealed to the Office of Information Policy (OIP), which, by letter dated September 19, 2012, affirmed BOP’s withholdings under exemptions 7(C) and 7(F), and informed the plaintiff that he could not retain a copy of his PSR but could “access [the document] locally by asking a staff member [at his facility] for an opportunity to review it.” OIP remanded the plaintiffs request to BOP “for further proeéssing of certain responsive records” and a determination of whether “additional records are releasable[.]” Id., Attach. 6. It informed the plaintiff that he “may appeal any future adverse determination made by BOP,” that any inquiry about the status of the remand should be addressed “directly” to BOP, and that he could file a lawsuit if he was dissatisfied. Id.

The plaintiff alleges that he “communicated with BOP Western Regional Counsel” on October 26, 2012, December 10, 2012, and January 2, 2013, about the status of the remanded portion of his request, and informed counsel on April 25, 2013, about his intention to file a lawsuit “if compliance with the OIP[’s] [remand] was not timely made” by May 25, 2013. Compl. at 2.

The plaintiff filed this action on November 19, 2013. Thereafter, BOP released additional pages by letters dated January 31, 2014, February 19, 2014, and March 5, 2014. Ochoa Decl. ¶ 11. In total, BOP provided the plaintiff with 396 pages, 26 of which contained redacted material; BOP withheld 48 pages completely. Id. ¶ 12 & Attach. 10 (Vaughn index).

II. LEGAL STANDARD

Federal courts are authorized under the FOIA “to enjoin the agency from withholding agency records and to order the production of any agency records improperly withheld from the complainant.” 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(B). An improper withholding occurs when an agency withholds information that is not protected by nine exemptions set forth in the statute or fails to conduct an adequate search for responsive material.

“‘FOIA cases typically and appropriately are decided on motions for summary judgment.’ ” Georgacarakos v. FBI, 908 F.Supp.2d 176, 180 (D.D.C.2012) (quoting Defenders of Wildlife v. U.S. Border Patrol, 623 F.Supp.2d 83, 87 (D.D.C.2009)). “With respect to the applicability of exemptions and the adequacy of an agency’s search efforts, summary judgment may be based solely on information provided in the agency’s supporting declarations.” Nat’l Sec. Counselors v. CIA, 960 F.Supp.2d 101, 133 (D.D.C.2013) (citations omitted). When an agency’s response to a FOIA request is to withhold responsive records, either in whole or in part, the agency “bears the burden of proving the applicability of claimed exemptions.” Am. Civil Liberties Union v. U.S. Dep’t of Def. (‘'ACLU/DOD “), 628 F.3d 612, 619 (D.C.Cir.2011). “The government may satisfy its burden of establishing its right to withhold information from the public by submitting appropriate declara *87 tions and, where necessary, an index of the information withheld.” Am. Immigration Lawyers Ass’n v. U.S. Dep’t of Homeland Sec., 852 F.Supp.2d 66, 72 (D.D.C.2012) (citing Vaughn v. Rosen, 484 F.2d 820, 827-28 (D.C.Cir.1973)).

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Bluebook (online)
72 F. Supp. 3d 81, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 153815, 2014 WL 5472185, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schotz-v-samuels-dcd-2014.